This invention relates to hand-held vial and test-tube holders. In particular, it is a vial-handler tool with a shield for protection against accidentally sticking oneself by a syringe needle when transferring blood or other fluid into or out of a vial of a size for which the tool is dialed for selection from a plurality of vial sizes. A use method is described.
Various vial holders with shields have been devised for protection against contraction of primarily lethal AIDS and also against other infections when transferring contaminated blood or other fluid into or out of a vial with a syringe in the health-care field. None, however, has been foldable for phlebotomy-kit or uniform-pocket carriage; nor have they combined convenient smallness with adaptation to different sizes of vials or test tubes as provided by this invention.
One example of a different device for holding a vial in relation to use with a syringe is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,618 that was issued to Ray D. Marvel on Jun. 20, 1989. The Marvel patent described a hollow handle into which a "test container," such as a vial, was fittable snugly. A protective shield extended over a user's hand radially from the upper end of the handle. It was limited to one size of test container for which a particular unit was sized and shaped precisely. It was not adaptable to different sizes of vials or test containers. Nor was it foldable to fit into a pocket of a uniform or other clothing of a user.
Another holder with a safety shield was taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,850 issued to Donald B. Mears on Jan. 8, 1991. Mears taught a plurality of tubular test-tube holders arranged in a row between a top shield and a bottom base. A frontal slot in each holder allowed application of thumb pressure against test tubes to hold them steadily against movement of a syringe-needle when transferring fluid into or out from one of the test tubes. This device also was not a pocket tool. Instead, it was a container of a plurality of test tubes or vials.
Other known vial holders are further yet different from this invention and do not have the convenience and safety features provided by this invention.